Cam lever type floor jack



July 18, 1967 A. P. SCHWARTZ 3,331,584

CAM LEVER TYPE FLOOR JACK Filed Nov. 12, 1965 Fi I 2 2/ f i F /4 l5 7 Y W 5 l9 k 5 I I I I l F lg. 2 i 4 i i d 7 l5 I I I L 111f IIIIJ TIII ETIII /3' /4 l/Z J 54 E 3 i z r fi INVENTOR. AARON SCHWAIUZ. BY

United States Patent Ofi ice 3,331,584 Patented July 18, 1967 3,331,584 CAM LEVER TYPE FLOOR JACK Aaron P. Schwartz, RR. 2, Box 252A, Geneva, Ind. 46740 Filed Nov. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 507,312 1 Claim. (Cl. 25415) This invention relates to carpenters tools and particularly to a tool most useful in the construction of floors and installation of sheathing as sub-flooring or for roof construction.

More particularly the invention contemplates the provision of a tool which provides the necessary leverage for closely positioning boards one next to the other for nailing, whether this be for sub-flooring or flooring itself or sheathing as initially suggested, the universality of the tool being appreciated when it is understood that it can be used for the various purposes hereinbefore suggested without modification and is adjustable to meet Widely varying conditions which are encountered during the course of building construction.

The tool is believed to be most useful where wood is to be assembled as flooring, sub-flooring or sheathing as the case may be, since under many conditions wood boards or planks may be misshapen by warping or otherwise and are desirably straightened when installed and maintained in straight condition until nailing is effected.

The tool of this invention is widely adjustable, so as to accommodate for many different positions in which the same is to be used and for varying widths and thicknesses of boards in conjunction with which the same is intended to be used, where nailing is effected for maintaining the board once positioned, in its final location.

The simplicity of construction of the tool and the substantial leverage which it embodies, make possible assem bling boards and like wooden parts with substantial ease, and maintaining the same in position while the nailing operation is accomplished.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a building with the tool being used for installing sub-flooring of the tongue and groove variety.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken about on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken about on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to FIGURE 1 initially, the building structure hereof is indicated generally as exemplary of the manner in which the tool may be used, and includes joists such as 1 supported on any foundation such as 2, suitable plate members such as 3 often being used as illustrated in this disclosure as being suitably fastened at the ends of the joists 1.

As is usually the case studs 4 extend upwardly from the plates 3.

The flooring itself, is designated as to the boards thereof as 5 and 6, the board 5 having been initially installed so that the edge 7 thereof is adjacent the corresponding portion of the plate 3.

In order to draw the board 5 into close engagement with the plate 3, if the board happens to be warped or otherwise deformed so that it must be in some way forced into position as it extends along the plate 3, the tool of this invention and generally designated 8 may be desirably used, in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1, which indicates the position which the same would assume where the board 6 is to be moved into alignment with and engagement with the board 5 previously installed and using the tool in the same manner as will now be understood when the tool itself is described.

The tool 8 includes a body 9 of elongated nature preferably formed of bar material of rectilinear cross section as suggested by FIGURE 2, including a handle portion 10 and an arcuate section 11 which is formed by bending the bar of the body 9 about as indicated.

At the end of the arcuate section 11, positioning elements are provided, in the form of a transversely extending crosspiece 12 which is welded at the end of the arcuate section 11 and may assume any suitable form extending for some distance for purposes which will be understood as this description proceeds, and having suitably aflixed to its inner surface so to speak a series of pointed members 13, which for best advantage may be welded to the surface of the member 12, and themselves be provided with hardened ends so that they will maintain their sharp condition under use.

It is of course believed clear that the elements 13 are intended to engage with the lowed edge of the joists 1, as suggested by FIGURE 1, and to engage with the board or plank 6, is a board engaging means generally designated 14, this board engaging means including a transversely extending part 15, the part 15 being folded so as to present a U-shaped appearance in side elevation more particularly indicated in FIGURE 1, so that this U-shaped arrange ment will be able to surround and interengage with the tongue edge of the board or plank 6 as illustrated.

The member 15 is suitably fastened to a portion 16 of U-shaped configuration in plan as indicated in FIGURE 2, wihch is afiixed as by welding or the like to the member 15 at 17, the member 16 surrounding or being positioned around the body 9 so as to be closely spaced with regard thereto for guide purposes, there being a friction reducing part in the form of a roller 18 supported on a transversely extending pin 19 which pin is suitably engaged with the portion 16. As will be seen in FIGURE 3, the roller 18 is arranged to coact with the edge 8:: of the body 9, this being the outer edge so to speak since it is on the outer side as respects the arcuate section 11.

This board engaging means 15 extends in the opposite direction from the pointed members 13 as will be observed in FIGURE 1, and when the members 13 are engaged with the underside of the joist 1 for example, and suitable pressure applied in the direction of the arrow A, on the handle porton 10 of the body 9, the outer edge 8a of the body will engage the roller 18 and in turn move the part 15 into engagement with the tongue edge of the board or plank 6. Continued pressure applied as just described, will draw the board 6 into tight conjunction with the board 5 previously installed, and it will be plain that by successive positioning of the tool with respect to joists at opposite sides of that illustrated in the drawing, will similarly cause the corresponding opposite edge of the plank to be moved into juxtaposition with the previously installed plank or board 5.

It is believed clear that the width of the joists, is of little or no moment since the tool is adjustable for wide and narrow joists, and likewise may of course be used for roof joists or floor joists similarly.

Where boards or siding are to be applied exteriorly, the tool may be used in interengaging position with studs for example to draw the siding down similarly to that illustrated in the figures here in respect to flooring.

The same situation will exist whether the board be of the tongue and groove variety or otherwise, as for example in respect of roof sheathing, which is usually not of the tongue and groove variety, but nevertheless susceptible of being drawn into position and tight engagement with successive boards by suitable manipulation as will be :apparent.

In order to prevent displacement of the board engaging means 15 from a position on the body 9, a suitable stop such as 21 may be resorted to, thereby providing the upper limit so to speak of movement of the member 15, the lower limit of movement being provided by the positioning elements at the end of the arcuate section 11.

I claim:

In a clamping tool of the class described, in combination, an integral, elongated body comprising a long straight handle portion and an arcuate section, positioning elements extending transversely of the section and fixed to the end of said section, and board engaging means including a portion surrounding the body and a part extending transversely thereof, said means being moveable along the body, said means including a roller mounted in the portion surrounding the body for engagement with the outer edge thereof along the arcuate section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Oliver 25416 Hammond 25416 Pickard 254-16 Woolcocks 25416 Manwaring 254-15 LeRoy 254-15 Watts 25417 Harrison 254-15 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. MILTON S. MEI-IR, Examiner. 

